Madras Solar Energy Facility

PUBLIC NOTICE Madras Solar Energy Facility Complete Application for Site Certificate and Public Informational Meeting Summary: Date Notice Issued: November 13, 2020 Proposal: Photovoltaic (PV) solar energy generation facility occupying up to 284 acres providing an approximate nominal generating capacity of up to 63 megawatts (MW). Location: Jefferson County, approximately 5.5 miles west of the City of Madras Introduction: On November 9, 2020, the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE), staff to the Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC), received a complete Application for Site Certificate (ASC) filed by Madras PV1, LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of Ecoplexus Inc.; applicant) to construct and operate the Madras Solar Energy Facility (proposed facility). The proposed facility includes up to 63 MW of PV solar energy generating facility components and related or supporting facilities, that would permanently occupy up to 284 acres within Jefferson County. Maps of the proposed facility are included at the end of this notice. Specific locational maps can be found in ASC Exhibit C at: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-safety/facilities/Pages/MSE.aspx and on ODOE’s online mapping tool at: https://tinyurl.com/EFSCmap. Public Informational Meeting: ODOE will hold a remote public informational meeting, via WebEx and teleconference, with the applicant to provide information about the proposed facility and the EFSC siting process; participation details are provided below. The public informational meeting will include a presentation starting at 5:30 p.m. ODOE and applicant representatives will be available before and after the presentation to answer specific questions. WebEx/Teleconference Information Meeting Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2020 Time: 5:30 p.m Location: WebEx and Teleconference WebEx Link: https://odoe.webex.com/odoe/onstage/g.php?MTID=ed5cf232f5b9 dd3f261 b95bfa73ef41d By Phone: 1-408-418-9388 (Access Code): 173 471 0216 The public informational meeting is not a public hearing and will not include public testimony or on-the-record public comments. Opportunity for written or oral testimony will be provided at a later date – during the draft proposed order (DPO) public comment period and public hearing – following issuance of the DPO, as described below. Description of Proposed Facility: The Madras Solar Energy Facility would consist of 63 MWs of a PV solar energy generation components including solar modules, tables and trackers, posts, cabling, inverters, transformers and switchgear. Related and supporting facilities would include above- and belowground 34.5 kilovolt (kV) collector lines; a 230 kV step-up substation; operations and maintenance enclosure; point of interconnection switching station; service roads, security fencing and gates; temporary construction areas; temporary concrete batch plant; and lithium-ion or flow battery storage system. More detailed information about the proposed energy facility and the related or supporting facilities is available in ASC Exhibit B. EFSC Review Process: The site certificate process is a consolidated, comprehensive siting process. The applicant must demonstrate that the proposed facility meets EFSC standards established under Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 469.501 and set forth in Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) Chapters 345, Division 22 and 24, as well as all other applicable Oregon statutes, rules and standards. ODOE serves as staff to EFSC and conducts the application review process. The proposed facility would be located on more than 160 acres of high-value farmland and therefore is an energy facility subject to EFSC jurisdiction under the definition in ORS 469.300(11)(a)(D)(i). As such, the proposed facility must receive approval from EFSC of a site certificate prior to construction. Upcoming Review Phases: ODOE is currently preparing the DPO, which will include staff’s analysis of the ASC, based on ODOE’s review of the ASC as well as comments received from state and local agencies, Tribal governments, and Jefferson County Board of Commissioners as the Special Advisory Group. If the DPO recommends approval of the proposed facility, the DPO would include recommended conditions of approval for EFSC’s consideration. Issuance of the DPO will initiate a public comment period; in addition, a public hearing will be scheduled to occur at a venue in the vicinity of the proposed facility. At that time, to preserve your right to participate in the contested case proceeding and any subsequent appeal of EFSC’s decision, you must comment during the public comment period on the DPO, either orally at the public hearing or in writing during the comment period. ODOE anticipates issuing the DPO in December 2020. ODOE will issue notice of the public hearing and comment period when it issues the DPO. As described above, the November 2020 public information meeting is not a public hearing. For more information, please visit: http://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-safety/facili ties/Pages/Siting-Standards.aspx More Information: Please contact Chase McVeigh-Walker, Senior Siting Analyst, at the email address or mailing address listed below. Chase McVeigh-Walker, Senior Siting Analyst Oregon Department of Energy 550 Capital Street NE Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 503-934-1582 Fax: 503-373-7806 Email: chase.mcveigh-walker@oregon.gov More information about the proposed facility and updates on the review process is available using any of the following options. 1) Oregon Department of Energy’s webpage: The application for site certificate and additional details regarding the proposed facility may be found at: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-safety/facilities/Pages/MSE.aspx Additional resources to help you participate can be found at: http://www.oregon.gov/ener gy/facilities-safety/facilities/pages/default.aspx 2) Updates by email/mail: Subscribe to GovDelivery/ClickDimensions, a self-managed, automated email system that sends notices and updates on the Madras Solar Energy Facility as well as any or all other energy facilities and events under EFSC jurisdiction. For more information, please visit: www.tinyurl.com/ODOE-EFSC. To receive notices by U.S. Mail, please contact Chase McVeigh-Walker. 3) In hardcopy: Hard copies of the proposed Madras Solar Energy Facility Application for Site Certificate are available for public inspection at the following location at no cost: Oregon Department of Energy 550 Capitol Street NE Salem, OR 97301 Please contact Chase McVeigh-Walker to arrange viewing of hard copies of the ASC: hard copies will be provided at reasonable cost upon request to ODOE. Accessibility information: ODOE is committed to accommodating people with disabilities. For the review of the application or attendance at the information meeting, if you require any special physical or language accommodations, or need information in an alternate format, please contact Michiko Mata at 503-378-3895, toll-free in Oregon at 800-221-8035, or email to michiko.mata@oregon.gov. For any other accommodation needed to attend the public informational meeting, please contact ODOE as soon as possible so we may provide the accommodation. Figure 1: Proposed Facility Location Published November 13, 2020. BT184134

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